International Sustainability Champions Announced!

The largest sustainability gathering of the year concluded last week, as the International Green AwardsTM, in association with Climate Change - The New Economy (CCTNE), announced this year’s winners at the much anticipated green gala event at the Natural History Museum on Thursday 24th November.

Hosted by BBC veteran Philippa Forrester and sustainable finance expert Leo Johnson, the ceremony saw 20 organisations applauded for their inspirational and innovative sustainability successes! With the dinosaur in the Central Hall forming an excellent backdrop, speakers Nick Nuttall (UNEP) and Peter Byck (Carbon Nation) engaged the audience ahead of COP17 climate talks in Durban. The evening was completed with entertainment by the ‘UK’s Green Poet’, along with Opera performances by Jennifer Brisk and friendly gorillas running around!

In true spirit of UNEP’s ‘International Year of Forests’, Kenyan visionary Prof. Wangari Maathai, was posthumously honoured with our 2nd Lifetime Achievement Award (partnered by First Eastern Investment Group). The trophy was accepted by her colleagues at the Green Belt Movement followed by a beautiful video speech by Maathai’s daughter.

Following an overwhelming response to our public vote, Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bündchen was announced as the ‘Best Green International Celebrity’, which she graciously accepted and mentioned on all her social networks!

The pinnacle of the awards, the Green Grand Prix, was handed out by our partner Celestial Green Ventures PLC to Unilever PLC for their ambitious ‘Sustainable Living Plan’.

2011 International Business Game Changers

This year, the judge’s task was made tougher with the high quality of entries along with the global spectrum of socio-cultural and economic variances. However, original ideas and solutions were heralded as sustainability champions, such as USA based Lucid Design Group and an ambitious tree planting scheme in Peru.

Meet Gisele Bundchen – your chosen ‘most responsible’ celeb

From fashion to fanfare, Gisele finds a way to share her environmental passion in various aspects of her life. As a UNEP Goodwill Amabassdor, she has actively campaigned for a number of issues. During this year’s World Environment Day, she challenged actor Don Cheadle to see who could get more people to take action to plant a new forest. She won and will be planting her Legacy Forest in Brazil in Spring 2012.

Green Lifetime Achievement Award – Prof. Wangari Maathai

As it is the United Nations’ International Year of the Forests, it seemed fitting that the prestigious 2nd Lifetime Achievement Award be given to a woman who established perhaps the greatest tree planting initiative in the world – the Green Belt Movement.